Three Little Words
by Ann Parker
Summary: Sequel to Something to Fight For. Reid is finally back to normal after the drugs and he's fallen in love with a greeneyed Texan. But does she love him back? Can she?
1. Daydreaming

Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds. It is the property of Mark R. Gordon and CBS.

Note: This is Part Two of the Michelle Stratford series. Although it is not necessarily required to have read "Something to Fight For" (part one) there will be references to it. I forewarn that this is a little more angsty/darker than part one. Hope you enjoy it anyway! And don't worry; I haven't forgotten Sarah or my crossover stories. This one just came to me faster.

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**Three Little Words**

Chapter One: Daydreaming

By Ann Parker

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"I never thought I'd be so happy to spend the day doing paperwork," commented Emily. The team, minus Hotch, Gideon, and Garcia, were on the elevator heading up to the office. It was a Friday morning in June. They had just come back from two straight weeks of cases and Hotch promised them (well, as much as he could promise) that they wouldn't take a new case until Monday at the earliest. That gave them at least a day to catch up on paperwork, something they were all actually looking forward to. The rest smiled at Emily's comment as they exited the elevator only to be bombarded by a certain blond.

"My children!" exclaimed Garcia, pulling them into a group hug.

"Geez, mama, miss us much?" teased Morgan as she let them go. They headed to the bullpen as she continued.

"You have no idea what it's like being cooped up in this office with no one to talk to," she groaned.

"We called you," replied Reid as he set his messenger bag down by his desk.

"That's not the same, my dear boy," Garcia stated. "In fact, I think the only way to rectify the situation is that we go out to lunch." The group nodded in agreement. Well, except for Reid, who hesitated slightly. "Reid?"

He glanced up at everyone before shrugging as he sat down. "Yeah, sure."

"Good! We can get something to go and eat in the park. It's so nice out," finished Garcia before heading to her office. Everyone settled into work, which Reid was grateful for. They had apparently decided not to question him on his hesitation. It wasn't that he didn't want to have lunch with them; it was that he had thought about calling up Michelle before Garcia had said anything. He hadn't seen her in nearly three weeks and had hardly talked to her during that time. He knew she understood – they both had demanding jobs – but he still missed her. She had changed his life in so many ways.

While on the flight back from Dallas, his withdrawal symptoms kicked in full force. He half wondered if it wasn't actually withdrawal from her that made them worse. He got sick on the plane – several times actually, which left him little choice in telling at least Hotch what was going on. He knew he should probably check in somewhere for a little while to help him fully detox, which could have ended his career. Instead, Hotch simply made him take a three-week "vacation." It was the first time he had seen Hotch bend the rules like that, which meant a great deal to him and gave him more motivation to get his life back in order. He saw the concerned, questioning looks by the others when he announced he was going on vacation and promised he'd talk to them, _really_ talk to them, when he got back. At that point in time, however, he wasn't strong enough to tell them his secret.

Rehab had been hard, particularly in the beginning. He knew beforehand what the withdrawal symptoms were, but that didn't make going through them any easier. He never thought about giving up or going back to the drugs, but he definitely had some low points the first few days. On day three it was his first visitor's day and he had expected to see Gideon there to offer him some encouragement, just like a father would. What he didn't expect was to instead see a familiar coonhound come running up and dropping a slimy ball at his feet.

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_Reid bent down and picked up the slimy tennis ball, staring at it like he had just discovered a new element._

"_You better throw that or he won't stop whining," her sweet, yet sassy voice with its faint southern drawl washed over him. He tossed the ball, sending Cooter bounding in her direction, and looked up, taking her in. There she stood in an AC/DC shirt and ripped jeans, her green eyes smiling, matching the one gracing her lips. Man, was she a sight for his sore eyes._

"_Michelle?" he managed to croak out. "What are you doing here?" Before she could respond, Cooter appeared again and dropped the ball at her feet. He wagged his tail expectantly and Reid threw it again, giving Michelle time to take a seat next to him on the picnic bench._

"_Gideon called me," she finally replied, glancing sideways to meet his eyes. "He told me what you did, checking yourself in here, and thought you might need someone to lean on. He didn't think you'd want anyone else here." Reid sighed, leaning back on the table as she threw the ball this time._

"_You didn't have to come all this way," he countered, assuming she was still wrapping up the Stein case. And then she did something he didn't expect._

_She took hold of one of his hands, enveloping it in both of hers. "Spencer, I was on my way back to DC anyway. And, besides, even if I wasn't, I would have dropped everything in a heartbeat to help you through this." He studied her for a minute, stunned by that omission._

"_Why?" he whispered, never feeling as insecure in his own skin as he did at that moment. She pulled him to her and placed a soft kiss on his lips._

"_Because I don't know how or why, but you've got a hold on me Spencer Reid, and I have no intentions of letting that slip away," she replied before kissing him once more._

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After that moment, things only picked up from him. Rehab went much smoother, partly because she convinced him to take his therapy sessions seriously. They helped him reveal the real reason he went to the drugs – his guilt over his mom. Once he was done with rehab, he asked Hotch to give him a few more days and flew out to visit her. He finally had a good conversation with her and it made him feel a lot better about things that had happened between them. That left him with his last big hurdle on his road to recovery – telling the rest of the team.

It had been hard sharing with the others about his moment – that led to moments – of weakness, but it felt good to finally tell them. Michelle and Gideon had made it as easy as they possibly could as well. He told them that he wanted to tell them in as much of a casual environment as possible, which led to dinner at his apartment. Michelle cleaned his apartment for him and helped Gideon cook. That in itself was a sight he never thought he'd see. He didn't even know Gideon liked to cook, let alone was good at it. And Michelle fluttered around making triple chocolate chip cookies and fresh whipped cream because according to her anyone could handle bad news after eating them. And so the team did. Initially, JJ and Garcia were shocked, Morgan appeared disappointed in himself for not catching it, and Emily looked saddened, but not as shocked as the others. Probably because he took his frustrations out on her the most. The main thing he remembered after telling them was Michelle coming up behind him and wrapping her arms around his shoulders, bending down and gently kissing his cheek as he sat in his chair, watching his team, his friends, digest the information. She made him feel safe as he was mentally preparing himself for them bolt on him. Only that didn't happen, not even close. Garcia started what happened by standing up and pulling him into a hug. Soon the others, one by one, surrounding him in a group hug, promising to take better care of their baby brother from now on.

The next day he started back at work, ready to face the demons they saw everyday. Things quickly slipped back into routine and everyone tried to act as normal as possible. It had been about two months since then and he really felt they were back to before Tobias, only closer. He still went to regular therapy sessions, and attended NA meetings when he could, both to make sure he was coping correctly and no longer tempted, which he was fine with. He also still had the occasional nightmare, but those were usually comforted by the fact that more often then not he woke up next to either Michelle or Cooter. He quickly learned when he started seeing her regularly that Cooter liked to sleep, or rather hog, the bed and would usually chose to sleep between them. He had never had a pet before, never could have one, which was his reasoning used when animals reacted poorly to him. Yet he quickly found himself becoming attached to this dog and, of course, his owner.

He was thinking about just that fact when Garcia found him with his feet propped up and leaning back in his chair, his paperwork already finished. "Time to stop daydreaming," she greeted and he glanced up to see her smiling at him.

"How'd you know?" he asked, planting his feet on the ground and standing up.

"You get this funny, peaceful look on your face when you're thinking about your southern bell," she replied as they headed to the elevator to meet the others. 'Southern bell' quickly became Garcia's nickname for Michelle after their first meeting. Reid looked down slightly, blushing. "Why don't you see if she can join us?"

"Nah," he replied as they reached the rest. Hotch and Gideon had apparently been dragged into joining them. "I'll just call her tonight."

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	2. Feelin' Good

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**Three Little Words**

Chapter Two: Feelin' Good

By Ann Parker

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They finished eating and were casually strolling through a local park when Morgan stated something the rest had been thinking for quite sometime. "You look really good, Reid. Better than you looked even before," Morgan stated. And he really did. He had put on a little weight as well as some muscle (that was due to Michelle dragging him to the gym with her). He wasn't nearly as pale and this was one of the first times they'd seen him in a short sleeve shirt this year, now that his track marks had faded.

"Thanks," Reid smiled. "I feel —" At that precise moment, he got knocked to the ground and landed on his back. In the shock, he had closed his eyes so he wasn't ready when something wet and slimy landed on his forehead before rolling off. He whipped his forehead off and was about to put it all together when he heard her voice.

"Cooter! What is the matter with you?" she yelled, running up. She pulled the dog off of him, revealing the victim. "Oh, well that explains it," she grinned. Reid looked up at her and smiled. "I'd apologize, but you earned that for being gone for two weeks." She offered him a hand, which he accepted. Only he pulled her down on top of him instead of letting her stand him up.

"Sorry," he replied, pushing some of the loose strands of hair from her ponytail behind her ear. "I did help catch a serial arsonist and two serial killers. Does that make up for it?" Neither noticed the looks of amusement by his team or the fact that Cooter had wandered off to suck up to the girls. For a dog that disliked men, he sure loved women.

"I suppose that's acceptable," she teased. "But I think I should still kick your ass for pulling me down."

"Yeah, but you won't," he countered, placing a hand on the back of her neck and pulling her to him.

"No, I suppose not," she whispered right before they kissed. They could have easily gotten carried away if Morgan hadn't interrupted them.

"Uh, guys, you realize you're out in public right?" he teased, causing them to unlock their lips. Reid thought he heard her mutter something under her breath as she climbed off of him. This time when she offered him a hand he actually stood up.

"So, Michelle, what are you doing out in the middle of the day playing with Cooter?" asked Emily. It was at that moment that Reid realized Michelle was only wearing a sports bra, shorts, and tennis shoes.

"What are you wearing?" he asked, suddenly becoming over protective.

She looked at him and laughed, "I thought you'd appreciate this view." And, indeed, he did. It showed off her toned midriff and lean legs, but that didn't mean he wanted anyone else to see it.

"I do, but I don't want other guys ogling you," he replied.

She smiled and tugged at his tie, "you're cute when you're jealous. Relax, Cooter barks at all men, remember?" As if on cue, two college age boys walked by and one whistled. Cooter, who up to that point was seeking as much attention from the girls as possible, turned in the boys' direction and started to bark. "See?"

Reid walked over to the dog and petted his head. "Good boy."

Michelle rolled her eyes. "Anyway, to answer your question, Emily. I was interrogating a suspect in my team's case until three in the morning until he cracked. As a reward, Wilson gave me the day off." The others nodded.

"So I guess it's a good thing I didn't call you when we landed just after midnight," Reid smirked, now standing next to her again.

"Just what were you expecting to happen at that hour?" she teased, pulling him closer. When he didn't answer right away, she added, "because I am not a booty call, Spencer Reid." Morgan almost chocked on his soda, the girls chuckled and Gideon and Hotch looked like they shouldn't be listening to this.

Reid, however, used to her sharp tongue by now – some of which rubbed off on him – didn't miss a beat. "Wait a minute, but I am? Or did you forget that night about a month ago when you showed up at my place at 4 AM after that stake out?"

Michelle blinked for a second, before responding. "Damn, I forgot about that," she grinned, pulling him into a kiss. "My place, six o'clock. Bring dessert," she whispered against his lips before stepping back from him.

"I thought I was the dessert," he retorted as she pulled Cooter's leash out from her pocket.

"Eew!" exclaimed Garcia, causing the rest to laugh. They still weren't used to seeing Reid coming out of his shell and acting his age. Michelle attached the leash to Cooter's collar and grabbed his ball from the ground. When she tugged on the leash and he didn't move, she looked at Reid.

"Puppy, puppy," he called in a high pitch voice, which was apparently enough to trick the canine to move. Although he did look around all excited, trying to find another dog.

"Thanks," she smiled. "See you guys later," she commented to the rest before looking back at him. "See you tonight." He smiled as she walked away with Cooter. He turned back to the team, grinning from ear to ear. That was just what he needed.

"Well," started Morgan, "I think Reid's new nickname might just have to be Dr. Love."

"Shut up Morgan," Reid replied as they began to walk back to their cars. Morgan roughed up Reid's hair as the others chuckled.

"Aww, our little Spence is all grown up," added JJ, lightly punching him in the arm.

"Leave him alone guys," replied Hotch, earning a smile from Reid. "Everyone has at least one booty call in their lives." That caused even more laughter, particularly because no one in their right mind expected those words to come out of Hotch's mouth.

"Hey, you guys are just jealous because I have a social life and you don't," he retorted, earning a few laughs. Sadly, that was true for some of them. As they piled into a few of their cars – Morgan and he were privileged enough to get to ride in Ester – Reid thought back to what they were talking about before Cooter jumped on him. He really hadn't felt this good in a long time. And he knew just the reason why.

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	3. Healing

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**Three Little Words**

Chapter Three: Healing

By Ann Parker

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As Reid unlocked the door to Michelle's small two-story house in McLean, three things greeted him. One, Cooter's slight bark and then wagging tail once he identified the intruder. Two, the smell of Michelle's chicken cacciatore. Three, Michelle's voice singing along, quite horribly, to an Aerosmith song. A grin crept across his face as he petted Cooter on his head before making his way to her kitchen.

"Did anyone ever tell you that you're tone deaf?" he teased, placing a kiss on her neck.

"Just about everyone I know. Doesn't stop me from singing, does it?" she quipped back, turning slightly to meet his lips. "What did you bring?" she asked when they parted.

"Cheesecake and strawberries," he replied, lifting the hand that was carrying the bag. She took it from him and walked over to her fridge.

"You're just trying to make me run an extra mile in the morning, aren't you?" she teased as she stuck her head in the fridge, putting away the dessert.

"There are other ways to burn calories," he offered, earning a chuckle from her.

When she emerged from the fridge, she pointed at the cupboard, "set the table, Dr. Reid. There will be time for that later." He grinned and did as he was told while she went back to making the salad he had interrupted. After he set out their plates, silverware, glasses, and napkins, he decided to wander into her living room.

He loved roaming her house and learning new things about her. She was still much of a mystery to him. Scanning her bookshelf, his eyes landed on a photograph of her with her parents. They were one of the few things he did know about. Michelle's father was a retired army General who still lived in Texas. Her mother had been an army nurse before marrying her father, and then retired to stay home to raise their only child. That was until she died from breast cancer when Michelle was 19. She was really close with both of them, adored them. Compared to his, it had been a normal childhood, even though it wasn't typical. Being an army brat, the only child, and a girl being raised on a military base led to an interesting childhood. That was partly why she was a third degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Her father wanted her to be able to take care of herself, which she was. He remembered when he, as did the rest of his team, learned about that.

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_She was standing by her car, waiting for him at the bureau's airport strip, but was on the phone with her back to them when they deboarded. Her phone call, which he later found out was with her father, was keeping her attention so she didn't hear them approach. He was about to yell out her name when Morgan gestured for him to be quiet._

_Morgan, thinking it would be funny, snuck up behind her and placed a hand on her arm, trying to scare her. Before he even had time to react, or the rest of the team for that matter, she had twisted his arm, kicked his feet out from under him, flattened him out on the ground, and had the heal of her shoe at his neck. For a man that taught hand-to-hand combat, it caught him completely off guard. It also shocked the hell out of the rest of them. Once she realized whom she had knocked on the ground, she removed her foot and offered him a hand as she hung up her phone._

"_Garcia told you I could kick your ass, Morgan," she laughed._

"_Apparently, he forgot that information," teased JJ._

"_What the hell was that?" asked Morgan, dusting off his pants._

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She had proceeded to inform them of her martial arts training and Morgan left her alone after that. Reid had a great deal of fun telling Garcia about that incident, and Morgan was still being teased about it. It was little details like that that he loved to find out about her. He also knew why she joined the FBI, her favorite color, where she went to school…things like that. Yet he still felt like there was a large part of her life, namely from her mother's death to when they met in Dallas, that he didn't know a lot about.

He continued down the shelf, when his eyes landed on a white book he hadn't noticed before. He bent down to make out the gold lettering on the side – "Our Wedding." Reid furrowed his brow as he slid the album off the shelf. It looked too new to be her parents' album. He gently opened it to see Michelle staring back at him in a beautiful white dress. She was standing next to a tall, muscular man who was wearing an army uniform.

"Spencer," she started as she walked into the room. "Dinner is —" He looked up to see her eyes land on what he was holding. "—ready." He didn't know what to say; he was still trying to process what was in his hands. He could only watch as she bent down beside him and gently took the album from him, her fingers lightly grazing the man's face before she closed it and tucked it away. She sighed and met his eyes. "Well, I see you picked our dinner conversation tonight."

Guilt washed over him when he saw the pain in her eyes. He felt like he had inadvertently broken her trust. "I —" She placed a finger on his lips, stopping him.

"Don't. It's time I told you anyway," she replied. "Now, let's go eat before it gets cold or Cooter decides to steal it." He smiled faintly; glad to see she didn't appear to be mad at him. He followed her to the dining room and they began to eat. He waited for her to speak, unsure of what to say, what to do. Finally, after a few minutes, she did.

"David and I met in the tenth grade, we were high school sweethearts. Right before my mom had passed away, he had signed up for the Army. He was following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather. He was to head off to basic training shortly after she died. That led to a spur of the moment thing where we got married," she started, picking at her half eaten food. She stared at the plate, unable or unwilling to look him in the eyes. "We were happy for the first year and a half, even when we were apart. I had just gotten into the academy to start my training and we were planning on moving here when 9/11 happened. His unit got sent to Afghanistan so I ended up moving on my own. This," she gestured to the house, "was my father's wedding gift to help us out." She stood up and took her dishes into the kitchen. He followed her with his, but kept some distance between them, giving her space. He could already tell this story wasn't going to end happily.

"Combat changed him," she continued, leaning against the counter. "He came back in October of 2002 all on edge. He wouldn't even let me touch him half the time. He couldn't sleep. His temper was short; he yelled _a lot_."

Reid nodded, "PTSD."

She shook her head, "see that's what I thought too. But it was so much more than that." She ran her hands through her hair and when she spoke again, he could hardly hear her. "It was over a year before I found the drugs. I still don't know when or how or why he started using." She looked up, finally meeting his eyes. _This_ was whom she was talking about back in Dallas. _This_ was who was too far-gone. "I tried to get him help, help like you got for yourself, but he just pushed me away." She pushed off the counter and walked over to him. He watched as she fiddled with his tie, needing something to busy her hands with, as she finished. "One day while I was at the office, Wilson – who had only been my boss for a few months at this point – called me into his office. He told me that David's CO had just called. He had found David unconscious. He had overdosed. They couldn't revive him." A lone tear escaped from her eyes and he reached up and wiped it away, caressing her cheek. No wonder she wanted to be here to help him in his recovery. She hadn't been able – allowed – to help her late husband. The fact that she wanted anything to do with him because of the connection the two men had spoke volumes to him. Without a word, he pulled her to him, trying to hug the pain away. They stood there in silence, in the middle of her kitchen, for several minutes until she pulled out of the embrace and walked back over to the dishes.

"That was a little over three years ago," she stated, putting the dishes into her dishwasher. "I went back to my maiden name a few months afterwards. His father and grandfather were legends in the army so I was frequently reminded of him if I talked to any military personnel. I'd rather they think of my as father's daughter than as David's widow," she whispered. The slamming shut of the dishwasher's door almost made him jump. She turned back to him, "I'm healing, though. You're helping me heal."

He smiled slightly, "as you are for me." Closing the distance between them once more, he placed a gentle kiss on her lips. Cooter chose that moment to bark, startling them both.

"Yes, Cooter, you're helping me heal too," she stated, bending down to the dog and scratching him behind the ears. "My dad got me him shortly after the funeral when I refused to move back home. I convinced Wilson to let me train him as an attack dog so I could take him on assignment with me." She grabbed a milk bone from a jar on the counter and tossed it to the dog. "He's worked out pretty well, protecting me for all men except for this FBI profiler." She looked up at him and smiled, causing Reid to smile in return.

He wrapped his arms around her waist again, "I'm sorry for forcing you to talk about this."

She met his chocolate eyes, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Don't be. You've opened up to me; it was time for me to fully open up to you." She pulled him down to her, into another kiss. "Now, enough with the past. I'd like to think about the future from now on. Like what we could be doing in just a few minutes." He smiled as she tugged on his tie, leading him out of the kitchen. He loved her ability to switch gears like that. It was one of the things that attracted him to her back in that hotel room, although he never thought that night would have led to this. Not that he was complaining.

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	4. Never Felt this Way Before

Author's Note: Thanks for all the great reviews so far! It makes my day every time I get one. I just wanted to apologize for how short this chapter is…I thought about attaching it to chapter three and decided it was better on its own. Hope you like it anyway!

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**Three Little Words**

Chapter Four: Never Felt this Way Before

By Ann Parker

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"Come on Spencer, only three more blocks to go," Michelle ordered. It had been just over a week since she told him about her past and their relationship was continuing to progress. She had forced him into going jogging with her this morning because that cheesecake was slowly being consumed, not by him but her, and she was punishing him for buying it. She was almost jogging in place, only backwards, in front of him trying to get him to pick up the pace.

"Can't we take a break?" he managed to breathe out. She shook her head, taking a sip of water from her bottle.

"We just had a break when we stopped by Hotch's house for water refills," she countered. Reid figured out a few weeks after they started dating that her house was about 10 blocks away from Hotch's house. He foolishly informed her of this fact and had been regretting it ever since. She knew that a round trip between the houses was about a mile, which meant she had more reason to drag him out of bed and make him go running. If there were one thing he could pick out that he disliked about her, it would be that she was health nut. That and she had him just about wrapped around her finger and could easily guilt him into eating better and exercising with her. Right now, he'd like nothing more than to stop and call a cab for the remaining three blocks. God, even after all this time, he was out of shape. At least when compared to her. She had hardly broken a sweat.

He took a sip of water and didn't notice her smile slightly to herself. She knew he only did this because he got to spend more time with her, but she also knew that if he got himself it a really good state physically, he'd be even less tempted to go back to the drugs since he'd already feel good. That didn't mean she wanted to push him too hard and she noticed his foot seemed to be bothering him. The quicker they finished, the sooner she could ice that for him. "Tell you what," she started, getting his attention. "I'll race you, backwards like this, back to the house. If you win, you get to pick what we do for the rest of the day."

He smiled, "even if that means watching the story of Star Wars on the History Channel?"

She rolled her eyes, "yes, even that you big dork." She laughed as he started to pick up his pace. "Just don't let me run into anything or I win by default." He nodded and raced back to her house. She miscalculated just how hard it would be to run backwards so by the time they reached her front lawn he was slightly ahead of her. Except he was so focused on getting to front door that he didn't see one of Cooter's balls in the yard. It wasn't until she stepped on it and began to fall backwards that he saw it. He dove at her to catch her only to end up below her when they fell to the ground.

"Oww," he groaned when they landed.

"Are you okay?" she asked, trying to check out his head. She wasn't concerned at all about herself. "We got to stop ending up on the ground like this," she slightly teased as she checked for lumps.

"I'm fine," he offered, more entertained at her concern. "But I guess that means I lose, doesn't it?"

She smiled as she stood up, pulling him up with her. "Yes it does, but I can think of a good consolation prize for you." He raised an eyebrow as she took hold of his hand and led him into her house and down the hall to the master bathroom. He couldn't help but laugh as Cooter tried to enter the bathroom with them, only to groan when Michelle shoed him out. "I don't think my baby needs to see this," she stated as she turned on the water. He smiled as he watched her get the water to the right temperature before pulling her hair out of her ponytail and winking at him when they began to remove their clothing.

A few minutes later, when they were both covered in soap and her legs were intertwined with his as he had her against the wall of the shower was the moment he chose to tell her something he'd been thinking about for awhile. Why that moment, he didn't know, but it just seemed right.

"I love you," he whispered in her ear as he made his way to kiss her neck. He felt her tense slightly in his grasp and looked up to meet her eyes. He saw panic and fear – not exactly what he had been hoping for, although he wasn't completely surprised. Not after what she had revealed last week. He was just glad he learned about that before admitting his feelings. "I'm not asking for you to say it back. I know it might be too soon for you," he stated, kissing her forehead before resting his own there. He noticed she relaxed slightly and her gaze was much more compassionate. "I've just never felt this way before and I wanted to tell you just to tell you. I can wait for however long it takes for you to say it in return." He heard her sigh slightly before pulling him into a kiss. A kiss with enough passion that he had a feeling, a glimmer of hope, that she might be able to say those three words someday soon.

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	5. Ghost

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**Three Little Words**

Chapter Five: Ghost

By Ann Parker

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"Good morning," Reid greeted Morgan and Emily when he entered the bullpen on a Monday morning. It had been two weeks since that moment in the shower. Although she hadn't said it back yet, he just had this feeling she'd say it soon. He knew she was probably just afraid. He didn't care how long it took; he was willing to wait forever. He set down his bag and turned to his desk to turn on his computer, not noticing the smiles the two exchanged.

"Have a good weekend Dr. Love?" Morgan teased when Reid turned back to face them. He couldn't stop the smile that crept across his face, answering the question for him. Anytime spent with her was good.

"BAU team, conference room in five," ordered Hotch from above. The three noticed that JJ and two other men were following him.

"Well, at least we had a break," commented Emily and the others nodded. They had had only one case the last two weeks, unusual for them. Reid bent down to his bag to dig out a few files he had taken home with him and groaned. They weren't there. He must have left them at Michelle's house. He made a mental note to call her as he went to get some coffee before heading upstairs.

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Right as Michelle was about to leave her house she noticed some files on her coffee table. Glancing at the names and not recognizing them as her own, she realized how they ended up there and chuckled. Looks like she was going to be paying him a visit. She grabbed them and headed to her office to check in with Wilson.

She knocked on his half open door once inside, "Hey, do you need me for anything urgent?" Wilson looked up from his paperwork and smiled at his favorite agent. He had come to see her as his little sister in their time working together.

"No, why?" he asked, closing a folder.

"I have to run by Quantico to return some files," she stated, biting back her grin.

Wilson chuckled, "say 'hi' for me." She nodded and began to walk away when he called her back. "And Stratford?"

"Yes?" she replied.

"Nice to see you smiling again," he stated. He hadn't seen her this happy since…well, never. He didn't know her when her marriage had been happy. Michelle flashed him a quick grin before turning to leave.

"Where are you headed?" greeted Thompson.

"Wouldn't you like to know," she coyly replied as punched him in the arm before heading out the door.

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Reid walked into the conference room with Morgan to find the rest already there. The two men that had been following JJ and Hotch were also there. One looked oddly familiar to him, but he didn't know why.

"These are Specialist Luke Martian and Sergeant Damian Webber. They are part of a covert army group investigating possible terrorism attacks on the eastern coast. They apparently heard of our success in foiling the attack with Jind Allah's group and would like us to assist in their current investigation," stated Hotch. The two men then went into detail about what they were investigating and how the BAU could be helpful. Apparently there was local group that they knew were planning something, but had been unable to obtain any clear information. They had two of the members in custody for something unconnected and were hoping Gideon could help them crack them and get the information they needed.

The entire time they were talking Reid listened very intently, or at least tried to. There was something about Webber that bothered him. He seemed like an all right guy, but he still didn't completely care for him. Martian seemed fine. It also really annoyed him that he felt like he had seen Webber before and couldn't place him. After the meeting ended and it was decided that Reid and Emily would help Gideon interrogate like last time, the group headed out of the office. He was one of the first ones out of the office and happened to notice a certain person standing by his desk. He quickly ran down the stairs to meet her.

"Hey," he greeted and she turned to face him.

"Hey, you left these in…" she was holding his files out to him when she stopped in mid-sentence. The color seemed to drain out of her face.

"Michelle? Are you okay?" The files fell out of her hands and he noticed her gaze was above him and he turned to see what had freighted her. When his eyes landed on Webber, everything clicked in his head and he felt like he had been punched in the stomach. That was why he looked familiar. For a man that knew just about every word in the English language, all that could come to his head at precise moment was 'holy crap.'

He noticed that Webber's gaze had locked with hers. Turning back to her, he realized what this must have been doing to her. "Michelle?" he whispered. He heard several footsteps on the stairs. She broke her gaze and Reid got a quick glance in her eyes. She looked absolutely terrified. Suddenly, she turned quickly and ran. Ran as fast as she could. He chased after her only to be stopped by the man that caused this.

"Let her go," he stated, pulling Reid from the doors.

Reid shrugged off the man's hand, fire in his eyes. "Who are you to decide what I do? You caused this," he yelled.

"Okay, what the hell is going on?" asked Morgan as the others caught up to them.

"Why did Michelle just run out of here?" asked Garcia in a much gentler tone. She was starting to form a friendship with the woman and was concerned. Neither of the men said anything right away, staring each other down.

"Reid," Hotch's voice came across as an order. He knew that might be the only way to get the young man to answer.

Reid turned to his team, the look in his eyes startling them. "Why don't you ask her husband that came back from the dead?"

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	6. Helpless

Author's note: Remember that angst I mentioned in the first chapter? It's about to kick in.

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**Three Little Words**

Chapter Six: Helpless

By Ann Parker

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"What are you talking about?" asked Emily. Before Reid could answer, Martian spoke up.

"Damn it, Webber," he groaned, exasperated. "Okay, everyone upstairs now. We can't let this information leak farther than it has." The group reluctantly nodded and turned to go back into the conference room.

"Gideon," Reid called out. The older man came to his side and put a hand on his shoulders.

"Give her some time to digest this while we figure it out," Gideon replied in a gentle tone, knowing what he wanted. Reid slightly nodded and let Gideon steer him upstairs. Once they reached the room he sat down with a resounding thud. He couldn't believe this was happening. Why now? Why him? Why her? His mind was racing with questions, but he waited for the door to click shut before he even looked at the other man.

"Okay, Webber, what the hell just happened down there?" ordered Martian. "I thought you said she worked at the Hoover building in DC."

"She does. She must have been here to see him," he replied looking at Reid. Reid's eyes narrowed at that accusation. Like he had the right to blame him of anything.

"Okay, somebody back up and tell us what is going on," ordered Hotch. He glanced at Reid and then at the other two men. Nobody offered up anything information right away, causing Hotch to pound his fist on the table. "Listen up. We have a terrorist attack to stop and we're losing time. So let's get this resolved now." He didn't know what exactly was going on, but he'd be damned if they were going to lose focus. He could have lost Hailey and Jack in the last terrorist attempt and he wasn't about to let something like that happen again.

"My real name is David Wright. I was married to Michelle, Agent Wright —"

"Stratford," Reid corrected. David blinked for a second, not expecting that.

"Right, Stratford, before I got placed on this detail and was forced to end the marriage," David finished.

"Yeah, by faking your death via a drug overdose," retorted Reid. He was still incredibly angry. How could this man do this to her? "Why fake your death? Why not just file for divorce and disappear?"

"Reid," Gideon warned. "This isn't the place for that." Reid looked up at him to protest, but Gideon lifted his hand. "I'm not saying they aren't valid questions," he continued, looking at David. "But don't you think she should be the one to ask them?" Reid sighed and nodded. He knew Michelle earned that much. God, he wondered how she was handling this.

"This information can't be leaked," stated Martian. The team nodded, understanding the implications if it got out. "Now, can you two handle working together on this case?" Reid and David studied each other for a minute.

"Yes sir," David replied.

"Fine," Reid stated. The group began to disperse when Garcia walked up behind Reid's chair and hugged him. She waited to say anything until the rest had left.

"It'll be okay," she whispered.

Reid looked up at her and she could see the fear and pain in his eyes, "is it? I think she might still be in love with him."

Garcia frowned, "how do you know that?"

"Because," Reid started, allowing a few silent tears to fall. "When I told her that I loved her, she couldn't say it back." The worry he had about her returning his feelings was finally surfacing.

Garcia hugged him tighter, "Just because she couldn't say it, doesn't mean she doesn't feel it. Just give her some time. Don't give up Spencer. It'll all end up perfect in the end."

"Reid." Gideon's voice, although authoritative still had concern it. He was at the doorway. Garcia released her grip as Reid rubbed his face.

"Yeah, I'm coming." He stood up and offered Garcia a sad smile before heading out the door. He really hoped she was right because he didn't know if he could handle it if she was wrong.

As the group left the building, Reid going with Gideon, Emily, and Martian to the military base where the men were being held, he noticed Michelle's blue sedan still in the parking lot. He then heard a slight scuffle and before the rest of them could turn around, Michelle had pinned David against the wall of the building. Reid took a step towards them, but Morgan held him back. He watched as she stared down her husband of a few seconds before reaching out a hand and gently touching his face, almost as if to make sure he was really there.

"Michelle," David whispered, trying to still keep his cover intact as well as talk to her. She simply shook her head quickly and began to walk away. She could still hardly process this; Reid could see it in her body language. David reached out to her, but she twisted his arm and forced him to the ground. She looked at him once more before releasing her grasp and walking away. She glanced in Reid's direction briefly; just long enough for him to noticed the stream of tears in her eyes. That was just about all he could take.

He shrugged off Morgan's grasp and ran after her, reaching her just before she got in her car. "Michelle." Her name came out as more of a plea than a greeting. He just wanted her to look at him. She stopped walking and he moved to stand in front of her.

"You…you didn't know that…"

She couldn't even get the whole question out, her throat being choked with tears, but he knew what she was trying to say. "Did I know he was still alive?" he asked for her, lifting her chin with his hand so he could meet her eyes. She nodded slightly, her green eyes shimmering from the tears. "No, I had no idea. I would have told you if I had. I just met him this morning and I didn't even connect it until I saw your face." She sighed slightly, knowing that at least he had been honest with her. He started to pull her into a hug, but she suddenly stepped away from him.

"I can't," she stated. He studied her for a second, trying to figure out if this was a rejection or not. "I just…I need to be alone right now." He nodded slightly as she moved past him and climbed into her car. She looked at him once more before she drove away. He watched her speed out of the parking lot. He hadn't felt this helpless since he had been locked up in that cabin months earlier. When he could no longer see her car he took a deep breath and walked back over to Gideon and the rest. He quickly glanced at David and the men briefly locked eye contact. It was clear to everyone, including Reid and David, that both men were in love with the same woman. The question on everyone's mind was – whom did she love?

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	7. Determination

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**Three Little Words**

Chapter Seven: Determination

By Ann Parker

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Reid flipped open his cell phone for the fifth time in the last hour. He was in a small office with Gideon and Emily. Gideon was giving the terrorists some time for prayer, much like he had with their case before. He wanted desperately to call Michelle to see how she was doing, but he didn't know what to say to her so he just kept closing his phone and sighing.

"Reid," Gideon called. It had been the third time; all were unnoticed by the young man. Gideon placed a hand on Reid's shoulder, getting his attention. Reid looked up at his mentor and Gideon could easily read the confusion and distress on his face.

"Did you ask something?" Reid asked, softly. He realized that he had completely lost focus on the case and figured Gideon was trying to make him concentrate.

"No," Gideon replied. "Listen, Reid, why don't you take a break. Go talk to her." He could tell that Reid was going to be no use to him in this state. At least the pair of terrorists didn't appear nearly as hard to crack as Jind Allah, so he didn't necessarily need him on top of his game. Emily was doing a good job of picking up the slack as well.

"But you need me here," Reid countered, shifting in his seat. He wanted to see her, but he didn't want to let the team down either. Particularly when national security was at risk.

"Yes I do, but I also need your complete attention. Do I have that right now?" Gideon asked. Reid looked down at his hands, at his cell phone. "That's what I thought. Go Reid."

Reid looked back up and sighed. "I'm sorry." Gideon waved his hand, dismissing it. Reid stood up and left the room. It didn't take him long to get off the base and make his way to her house. If he knew her well enough, which he hoped he did, he would know just where to find her. He hadn't really thought about what he was going to say to her, but he just wanted to see her face and see that she was coping.

When he pulled up to the house, he took a deep breath, unsure of what he was going to find inside. He let himself in. Cooter didn't come to greet him, not necessarily a good or bad sign. He quickly glanced in her living room, finding her wedding album and other photos, some including him, spread all over the floor. He slowly made his way upstairs, he could already hear the swinging and beating on the punching bag from her exercise room. He had been right; she always went back to her martial arts when she needed to work things out. When he reached the top of the stairs he found Cooter sitting outside of the exercise room, pawing at the door and whining. She had locked him out. Reid bent down and rubbed the dog's head for a second before slowly opening the door.

At first he only opened it a crack, just enough to see her. She was rapidly punching and kicking the bag. She was still in her work clothes and covered in sweat. Clearly, she had been at this for a while, her damp hair sticking to her skin. Reid watched as she spun around and kicked the bag towards the top and winced. If that had been a human, she might have just taken their head clean off. She was clearly in the anger stage at the moment. He was beginning to wonder if this was a good time to talk to her. Although he'd never admit it to anyone, she could slightly frighten him if she tried. He shook that thought and took another deep breath, opening the door all the way. "Michelle." She glanced up at him and then turned back to the bag, punching it even more.

"I can't," was all she would say, continuing to take out her pain on the bag.

He took a step closer, "Try. Don't bottle it up." She kicked the bag again, causing it to swing over by him.

"This is bottling it up?" she asked, exasperated. He grabbed the bag, stopping it. He didn't flinch when she started to move to kick the bag; he knew she'd stop. She may frighten him slightly, but he also knew this wasn't aimed at him. She did stop, but started to punch it. Only she hardly put anything behind it. She looked up and met his eyes. It was then that he noticed she'd been crying this whole time. He'd seen her shed a few tears, but never really cry. She half punched the bag again before falling down on her knees. He rushed to her and tried to pull her into his arms, but she pushed him away. "Why? Why did his do this to me? Did he not love me anymore? Did he want to see me suffer? Why?" she rattled off, frustrated and scared as well as angry. He had never seen this side of her before; she was always so sure of herself. Now she was falling apart in front of him.

"I don't know why he did it, Michelle, but I promise I'll make sure get to ask him," he replied, his voice soft but determined. He was going to make sure she got to confront David – she needed that. He needed that. He knew that deep down this relationship might never work if she couldn't get past this. Gently, he reached out for her and this time she didn't pull away. He pulled her into his arms and she began to crumble under his grasp. Without thinking, he bent down and began to kiss her. He just wanted to make her pain disappear. She let his lips linger for a moment before pulling away. Away from his kiss, away from his arms, and away from him.

"No, Spencer, please," she begged, standing up and quickly rushing past him. He heard her rush down the stairs and then a slamming door. Resting his hands on the floor, he let out a shaky breath. This was not going as planned. He had just wanted to check on her, not push her away. When he realized that he hadn't heard the car speed away it gave him some hope. He stood up and headed down the stairs and again found Cooter standing by a closed door, this time her master bathroom.

He lightly tapped on the door. "Michelle, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you further." He heard her move slightly in the room.

"I know…" she stated through the door. She couldn't open it; she couldn't stand the thought of looking at his all knowing eyes right now. She was afraid he'd see what was already eating away at her. "Please, just come back later, okay?"

"Okay," he replied. She sighed slightly and walked away from the door. A few seconds later she heard the doorknob slowly open and her heart began to race. She was about to run to the door to slam it shut when Cooter walked through the door and then it closed again. "Please, let him be there for you. He's worried sick," stated Reid. A slight smile, the first smile since this morning, graced her features. The dog walked over to her and placed a paw on her leg. Before she could respond she heard Reid's footsteps walking away.

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Reid made it back to the base as determined as ever. Determined to solve this case and get it done with and determined to make David talk to her. She needed to straighten out whatever was going on in her head and he was going to see to it that it happened. He had a slightly uneasy feeling about what had occurred during his brief visit, but if nothing else he owed her this. She helped him while he was going through rehab. He noticed when he parked that the SUV that Hotch, Morgan, and David were using was there. Well, this should make it a little easier. He made his way to the room the group was using as a makeshift conference room and found them all in there.

"Reid," nodded Gideon. "How is everything?" There was a slight hint of caution in his voice, warning Reid from doing anything too rash.

"Could be better," he stated, his voice eerily even. He turned to David and met his eyes. "Webber, do you mind if I have a word with you?" It came out as a question, but everyone could tell that it wasn't. David nodded and the two exited the room. They walked in silence until they found another empty office. Reid shut the door behind them and then turned to face the other man.

"You need to go talk to her," he stated, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I can't," David countered. He opened his mouth to continue, but Reid raised a hand.

"Yes, you can. Find a way, damn it. The only way she can process this and move on is if you answer the questions that are swarming her head," he stated. "If you ever loved her---"

"I still love her," David stated.

Reid sighed, he was afraid of that. But this wasn't the time for that discussion. "Then you need to do this for her." David nodded and Reid decided he meant it. He just hoped Michelle liked the answers.

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	8. Letting Go

Author's note: Okay, I sort of made myself cry while writing this chapter, so you might want some Kleenex. Although, I tried to end it on a slightly optimistic note. Don't kill me please!

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**Three Little Words**

Chapter Eight: Letting Go

By Ann Parker

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It was almost 11 pm by the time he got back to her house to check on her. He hoped that had been enough time, he didn't know how much more of this he could take, as selfish as that sounds. It was eating away at him just like it was to her. Gideon was close to getting information out of the terrorists, but they had gotten as far as they could for the night so he had ordered Reid to get some rest. Although Reid had a pretty good idea that Gideon knew he might not; he knew where Reid was going to go. When he pulled up to her house there was another black SUV in her driveway. He noticed faint lighting in the living room as he approached. Once he reached the door he could hear two voices yelling and sighed. David had beaten him here. Good, at least he had come to see her. He quietly cracked the door open with the intentions of serving as a mediator if needed, but ended up just eavesdropping.

"Damn it, Michelle, you think I wanted this assignment?" David asked, he voice probably a little louder than he intended. He was standing in the middle of the room and Michelle was pacing in front of him. Cooter seemed to be on guard, apparently not really caring for the man in his living room. Reid noticed she had changed and more photos were spread out on the floor.

"Did you think I wouldn't understand if you had just told me the truth? I'm a general's daughter for crying out loud! I understand the concept of rogue missions where the end result is uncertain," she argued back.

"I didn't know if I would ever come back or if I'd even be allowed to come back if I survived. I didn't want to you live your life not knowing. I wanted you to be able to move on," he answered, his tone gentler.

"Why choose a drug overdose? Was the addiction completely faked? Why put our marriage through that if you knew you were just going to leave? Why, David, why?" she asked, stopping in front of him and meeting his eyes.

"I did become addicted for awhile, just not as long as you thought. My CO figured it out a few months before you did and ordered me to get help. I was just about to tell you when this assignment landed in my lap. I thought it would be the easiest way." Reid bit his tongue when he heard that. This man clearly didn't understand what that did to her.

"Putting me through agony for months, pushing me away, that was what you thought would be the easiest way?" Her voice was soft, hurt. Reid watched as David put his arms around her. She didn't make any effort to stop him.

"I realize now that was a mistake. I'm so sorry, Michelle," he stated as she looked away. He turned her head to meet his gaze. "I never stopped loving you." He bent down and kissed her, both oblivious to the other person in the room whose heart was breaking. Reid felt like he was going to be sick. He was losing her. Did he ever really have her to begin with? He turned to leave when he noticed out of the corner of his eye that Michelle pushed David away just like she had to him earlier in the day.

"No! You can't just waltz in here and expect me to fall into your arms! I can't do this," she turned away from David and that's when she saw him. "Spencer," she whispered. Reid took a deep breath and stepped forward.

"I, uh, came to see how you were doing," he stated, trying to fight back his emotions. Cooter walked over to him and pawed at him, as if he knew the human next to him was sad. She didn't know what to say and neither did he. They didn't notice David look back and forth between them. Had she actually moved on?

"I better go," David whispered and left them alone. Reid noticed her gaze watch him leave; he saw that she partly wanted to go after him, but didn't.

"Spencer, I…" her voice cracked and she stopped. This was killing her, being so torn between two men she cared deeply for. She had spent the day after he left going over photos, memories, of her and David trying to come to terms with that morning. She hadn't decided whether or not to forgive him yet, there was still the shadow of those feelings remaining. She had also spent it thinking about how she felt when she was with Spencer. She still hadn't figured out what to do and the confliction was written all over her face. As was the pain. Reid saw them both. They were obvious, even without his profiling skills. It was also killing him – seeing her like this.

He knew what he needed to do. He didn't want to, but he felt it was the right thing to do. He took another deep breath. He couldn't believe what this day, this one singular day, had turned into, but there was nothing he could do to change that. All he knew was that he didn't want to be the cause of her agony. He didn't want her to make a decision she'd regret. He didn't want to be _what_ she'd regret. She had given him so much that he couldn't stand the idea of this ending bitterly. He walked over to her and pushed some of her hair out of her face, gently caressing her cheek in the process.

"I think we need some space." She opened her mouth to argue, but he put a finger on her lips. "I know you're conflicted and I don't want to be the reason for your pain. I couldn't live with that, I love you too much." Tears were starting to form in both sets of their eyes. "If you love something, set if free. If it comes back, it's yours. If it doesn't, it never was." He pulled her to him and placed a quick kiss on her forehead before turning away and rushing out the door. He vaguely heard her call his name, but just got into his car and drove away. He didn't hear her sobs. He didn't hear her cry harder than she had when she found out David was dead. Harder than she had that morning when she found out he was alive.

He didn't even know where he was going, just away from the pain. He had a brief urge for the drugs, something to push this pain away and that was when he knew he shouldn't be alone. If one really good thing came out of his therapy, it was that he learned to lean on others when he needed help. Before he knew where he was going to go, he found himself in the parking lot of Morgan's apartment complex. He was so focused on heading to his best friend's door that he didn't notice he had parked next to Ester. He didn't notice the soft music coming from Morgan's apartment when he knocked. It didn't even register when Morgan opened the door with his shirt untucked and half of the buttons undone. It took everything he had just to cross the threshold into the room.

"Reid, what's wrong?" Morgan asked, his voice full of concern. He opened his mouth to reply but nothing came out. Morgan steered him over to the couch and sat him down, choosing to sit on the coffee table in front of him. "Spencer, talk to me." By this point, Garcia had emerged from the kitchen and sat down next to Reid.

"I…I let her go," he whispered, the tears beginning to fall. Morgan and Garcia exchanged looks. They should have seen that coming. Garcia pulled him to her, hugging him tightly.

"Oh, Spencer," she whispered, letting him cry on her shoulder. "It'll be okay."

Reid pulled back, angry at that comment. "How can you say that? I just let the woman I love slip through my fingers. Why, why, why did I do that? Some genius I am." He held his head in his hands and they could see his back shake from the sobs. Morgan moved to the other side of him, rubbing his back.

"You did what you did because you're a good man, Spencer," Morgan stated. "You're letting her work through this and make her own decision."

"For what it's worth, I think she'll come back you," offered Garcia after a few minutes. Reid lifted his head and looked at her, bewildered.

"How can you possibly know that? I saw them kiss. There is so much history between them," he stated, his voice low and raspy from the salty tears.

"Exactly, history. What you two have is in the present and in the future," she replied, her voice tender. He simply looked at her like she had grown a second head. "Call it woman's intuition, Spencer." She smiled at him and he let out a strained chuckle, leaning back on the couch.

"If only there were any scientific evidence that that actually existed," he whispered, closing his eyes. He suddenly realized how exhausted he was and yawned slightly. He had cried himself out. He didn't see his two friends exchange looks. They were still trying to process what had happened. Not what had happened between Michelle and Reid tonight, but what had happened here. In light of that morning, what happened with Michelle, although depressing, wasn't exactly a shock. But the fact that Reid came to them, well Morgan anyway, wasn't something the young man would have done a year ago. Then again, it had been one hell of a year. He was finally letting them in and not keeping everything stored in that big head of his.

"Reid, why don't you get some sleep? Things will be clearer in the morning," offered Morgan.

Reid opened his eyes and looked at, for all intensive purposes, his big brother. "Is it okay if I stay here?"

Morgan smiled, "I insist." Garcia and he both got off the couch. She set a pillow down and gently pushed Reid so he was lying down when Morgan covered him with a blanket. They began to walk away when Reid spoke again.

"Guys," he started, making sure they were looking at him. "Thank you."

Garcia walked over to him and kissed his forehead, "anytime, sunshine. Now get some sleep." Reid smiled faintly, closing his eyes and slowly everything went black.

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	9. A Decision

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**Three Little Words**

Chapter Nine: A Decision

By Ann Parker

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Morgan took a sip of his coffee, studying the young man asleep on his couch. Boy how he had changed in such a short time. Prior to Tobias, he had still seen Reid as pretty much a child, an innocent. Then he became a tormented man, letting his demons eat away at his soul. Now he was a grown man that had learned to deal with his demons, only to end up with his heart broken. Morgan sighed; he sure hoped Penelope had been right last night. Reid deserved some happiness and he knew that until yesterday Michelle had been just that.

His cell phone rang and he quickly dug it out. "Morgan. Yeah, I'll be right there. No, I'll get Reid." He hung up from Hotch and stood up. He lightly nudged Reid and got a groan in response. "Reid, man, wake up."

Reid fluttered his eyes open, disoriented. It took him a minute to realize where he was; he was so used to waking up next to Cooter or Michelle. Michelle…he sighed slightly as the night came back to him. He sat up and Morgan handed him a cup of coffee.

"Black with tons of sugar, just the way you like it," Morgan offered. Reid smiled slightly as he took a sip. "Hotch just called. Gideon got a location of where the terrorist's workshop is. We need to check it out." Reid nodded as he continued to drink his much needed caffeine. "I got your overnight bag out of your car. Go change and lets get moving."

Reid set down his cup and stood up, walking over to the bag. Without a word he grabbed it and went to the bathroom. He quickly changed, ran a comb through his hair, and brushed his teeth. He didn't have time to shower so he just washed his face. After he dried it off he looked at himself in the mirror. He didn't think he looked any worse for wear. Except in his eyes. Anyone that looked into his eyes would probably be able to see his sorrow. Sighing, he pushed that to the back of his mind and met Morgan at the front door. As they were leaving, the night and all its details came back to him. A slight smile crept across his face. Even though he was still dealing with his own problems, what he had probably interrupted last night hadn't escaped him the second time around.

"What are you smiling at?" asked Morgan as they reached their cars.

"What just was Garcia doing at your place last night at midnight?" he asked. Morgan shook his head and Reid thought he heard him mutter a swear word under his breath. "Thought I missed that, didn't you?"

"Get in the car, Reid," Morgan replied with a slight smile.

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Michelle woke up aching all over. She had cried herself to sleep in the middle of the floor in her living room. Cooter was curled up next to her. She sighed heavily as she let her surroundings sink in. There were photos of her and David and some of her and Spencer sprawled out all over the floor. She still couldn't believe this was happening. She had the man that had been her first love suddenly comes back from the dead and just about push himself on her now that she had finally picked up all the pieces. At the same time she had the man who was now in her life step back and give her space. She had spent the whole night, and part of the morning, crying and trying to decide what to do. She had even gone for a jog at two in the morning to try to work though the problem. She knew that she needed to make a decision, and soon, but just didn't know what to do. She had always been a logical person and was trying to use just that make her decision, but it wasn't getting her anywhere. Why she thought her brain could decide a matter of the heart, she didn't know.

Cooter woke up, looked at her briefly, and wondered off. "I know whom he'd pick," she muttered wryly. She picked up a photo of her and David from the prom. God, they were so young. Would they even still get along now that they've both grown up, changed? Could she still trust him? A lot of things had happened in those three years since he faked his death. Still, he had been there for her when her mom had died. Setting it down, she picked up one of her and Spencer at the dinner he had for his friends a few months back. Gideon had snapped a photo of them right after she had put some of the homemade whipped cream on the tip of Reid's nose. She couldn't stop the smile that crept across her face at that memory. Even then she felt so safe in his arms. Yet their relationship was still so new, so young, would it survive? Was it worth the risk?

Cooter barked loudly at her side, making her jump. "Geez, Cooter!" He kept going and started to jump around the room slightly, almost paniced. "What's wrong boy?" She stood up to try and calm the dog. He was large enough that his weight caused the remote control to fall on the floor. "What is it Cooter?" He continued to carry on until he stepped on the remote and the TV turned on. She glanced at the screen to see what looked like a large warehouse on fire.

"Reports are still sketchy at this time, but what we've gathered is that this building appeared to be a front for a group of terrorists planning an attack," the reporter stated as they showed the building. "A joint FBI and Army team had swarmed the building about twenty minutes ago. We do have a report of there being at least one casualty from that team."

At that precise moment, Michelle's heart made the decision for her.

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	10. Music to his Ears

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**Three Little Words**

Chapter Ten: Music to his Ears

By Ann Parker

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Michelle quickly grabbed her keys, badge and something else off the floor before heading out the door, allowing Cooter to follow her into her car. She had no idea how fast she was driving, but she managed to make it to the scene without incident. She left a window rolled completely down for Cooter, leaving him in the car. She was able to flash her badge to get past the yellow tape. She tried to make her way to where she needed to be, but was stopped by a voice.

"Michelle, what are you doing here?"

She turned to see David, cover in soot and a few scraps. She walked over to him, "who was the casualty?" she asked, frantic.

"What?" he asked, not expecting that.

"Who was it David?" she asked, panic starting to creep into her voice.

"It was Martian," he replied, his voice low. She sighed and closed her eyes, relieved, even though Martian was a good guy. Anyone trying to stop terrorist attacks was a good person.

She took a step towards him and placed two gold rings in his hand. "I can't David. The David I loved died that day three years ago. It's time for us both to move on." She leaned forward and placed a kiss on his cheek. He pulled her into a brief hug. When they pulled apart she placed a hand on his cheek for a second before offering him a sad smile.

"I hope he makes you happy," he stated as she turned to walk away.

"I think he will," she replied and then started to head over to the BAU team.

------------------------

Reid had turned slightly from the team, all covered in soot as well, while Morgan and Hotch were talking only to see Michelle in David's arms about 10 yards away. He quickly turned back to the others.

"I've got to get out of here," he stated to Morgan, slightly gesturing behind him. Morgan looked back and then nodded as Reid made he way beyond the yellow tape, heading down the street from the scene. Garcia had been wrong; she had chosen David. He felt like he was going to be sick. Again. If this was love was then he didn't want it.

Morgan watched Reid walk away and then noticed that Michelle was making her way to him. "Where's Spencer?" she asked once she reached them.

"Trying to mend his broken heart," Morgan replied. "That's pretty cold, you know, flaunting who you chose in front of the other."

She looked at him, confused. "What?" Morgan gestured behind him and she turned to see David talking to someone and groaned. "That wasn't what it may have looked like, Morgan. Now can you please tell me where he is? I have to tell him something important." Morgan studied her for a moment and then pointed in Reid's direction. She left them standing there and yelled Reid's name. They all noticed that he stopped walking for second before continuing. The distance had grown quite large, he could walk pretty fast when he wanted to. "Damn it," she muttered and then whistled loudly while removing her boots and socks, throwing them to the ground. They would only slow her down. Cooter, startling just about everyone he ran past, appeared at her side in just a second. She bent down by the dog and pointed at Reid down the street. "Let's get him boy." The team exchanged looks as both Michelle and Cooter ran after Reid.

Reid had thought about turning around when he had heard her voice, but seeing her face would have just been too much. He felt the tears beginning to resurface. He was so focused on not breaking down in public that he didn't hear the footsteps, or paw tracks, behind him. He thought he heard a faint whistle just a few seconds before as he felt something jump on his back. It wasn't enough to push him down, but it did startle him enough to stop walking and turn around. He barely had time to register that it was Cooter before Michelle dove into his arms, nearly knocking him over.

"I love you," she stated, hugging him like he might disappear.

He pulled back slightly, still trying to process what had just happened. Did she say what he thought, hoped, he had heard? "What did you just say?"

She placed a hand on his cheek, smiling. "I love you Spencer Reid. I choose you. You set me free and I came back." Before he could respond, she pulled him to her and kissed him deeply.

"Why?" he managed to get out when he pulled back for air. He still couldn't believe that she had chosen him over David.

She smiled again, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I saw the explosion on TV and the only thing that came to my head, my heart, was wanting, needing, to know that you were safe. I realized that I would have been more devastated if I had lost you than David all over again. I need you, Spencer." He smiled slightly as he initiated the kiss this time.

"I love you," he whispered when they pulled apart.

"I love you so much. I'm sorry it took me so long to say it back," she replied, kissing him again. Those three little words were like music to his ears. Cooter barked, causing them to pull apart and laugh. She looked down at the dog and then back up at him. "He's the one that turned on the TV, by the way."

Reid bent down to the dog, scratching him behind the ears. "I knew there was a reason I loved this dog." Michelle bent down beside him and petted the dog as well.

"I think I need to find a new place," she stated. Reid turned slightly to look at her. "The house has too many memories," she continued. "I want to find a place where I can make new ones. Know anyone that might need a roommate?"

A grin crept across Reid's face, "yeah, I think I do." He was about to kiss her again when they were interrupted.

"So I take it Garcia was right?" Morgan asked. The team, minus Garcia and JJ who were at the office, were standing there with smiles on their faces.

"Yeah, there must be something to that woman's intuition," Reid grinned. "She loves me." Michelle giggled, pulling him to her.

"Yes I do," she stated, kissing him again. They didn't notice the team exchange glances of amusement. Cooter barked and jumped on Reid's back, knocking him over finally and on top of Michelle, but that didn't stop them.

"Okay, you two, get a room," teased Emily. Morgan snapped a photo of them on his phone and sent it to Garcia, only to be met with a squeal about 20 seconds later in his ear. Hotch and Gideon exchanged smiles, glad to see things worked out for their youngest team member.

"I love you," Reid whispered, when the need for oxygen pulled them apart yet again. He couldn't stop saying it. He was so unbelievably happy; he could hardly contain himself. This was not how he thought the day was going to turn out. Not that he minded one bit.

"I love you too," Michelle replied, the same large smile on her face. "Let's get out of here." Reid grinned. Now _that_ was music to his ears.

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**The End**

Hope everyone liked that. Of course Reid gets the girl! I ended it there to leave it open for a possible part three. My best friend is particularly happy that everyone loves Cooter. She's quite proud that she got me to writer her dog into a series and that he's almost more popular than the girl, lol.

Next up for me is finishing up the Bones crossover and to start posting the Numb3rs crossover (that one will be very different from the other). Don't worry though, Sarah hasn't been forgotten – I'm starting to work on that too. A quick poll for you guys – how many of you have actually seen the show _The Pretender_? I was thinking of a potential crossover with that was well, but I don't know how many people actually remember the show (even though Jarod was personally my first love before Reid…lol). I wanted to see how much of a background on the show I would have to include if I wrote it. I'd appreciate any feedback (feel free to send me a message other than a review if you're interested) on that.

Anyway, thanks for reading!!

Ann Parker


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